Introducing me and my orchids

[Undergrounder]

Hi everyone, just a note to introduce you to my orchids. I was surprised to see Cymbidiums, Den kingianum, Den Speciosum and Sarcochilus hardly mentioned on this website, since they're probably the most common orchids down here.

Den speciosum are undoubtedly the most spectacular orchids when in flower as far as i'm concerned and you can't kill them if you try. I thought i had to represent.

Anyway the first pic is my garden. See if you can spot a few small Den speciosum attached to tree stumps and a giant Paph hirsuitissimum in a pot in the corner.

The second pic is my balcony setup. There's a bunch of Cyms, Cattleyas, Den kingianum, Den falconostrum, Sarcochilus, Softcane Dens, Oncidium, Masdevallias and Coelogyne. The ferns are for a little microclimate action. Since this photo i've added shadecloth and so far all the orchids have handled 35 degrees C and hot dry winds with little difficulty. The Masdes are snuggled in with a cold wet washer.

The third pic is a Den kingianum, Coelogyne verrucosa, Speciosum in pots, speciosum naturalised into the cliff in the backyard and my indoor flaskling setup with a few Paphs on top.

The third pic are a few in flower. We have a Cymbidium Tom Thumb 'Chit Chat', Phalaenopsis hybrid, Den kingianum and a Zygopetalum. I can only take credit for the kingianum, since all the others were bought or given to me in flower.

All in all i have about 100 plants dotted around the place and i'm currently seeing which i'm going to keep and which are too much work.

I'm also attempting a green wall project and testing a range of plants that can grow vertically and without much medium.

So that's my orchids.

[cb977]

Wonderful! I love your collection

Welcome to Orchidboard

The green wall project sounds like fun! The first thing that comes to my mind is Den loddigessi.It would just crawl all over a nice wall with something for it to grab on to

I look forward to seeing pictures of the wall when you've got it going

If you need help with anything, let us know

[Tindomul]

Cool collection. Glad you were able to join in. Welcome to the Orchid Board. We a few more members from down under, and I think they all grow that Dend. speciosum.

[Ross]

Wonderful display. Welcome. I am attempting to grow Sarcochilus fitzgeraldii. It's planted in loose rock in a plastic net basket and watered daily. I'm getting lots of big fat roots and lots of green but so far no blossoms.

[Undergrounder]

Wow quick replies thankyou everyone!

The green wall i'm just doing a proof of concept by making a picture frame-type thing with half an inch of medium and a chickenwire front to hold the medium in. I plan to cover it in Baby's Tears, Selaginella and then put in a suitable orchid perhaps. Den loddigesii looks a fantastic plant, though if it needs a rest it'll be hard to keep both it and the baby's tears alive. I was thinking perhaps Sophronitis coccinea or one of the Den cuthbertsonii-style PNG minis. There are 4 Sophs for auction at Royale Orchids - Australia on Saturday but i can't make it I might make a drier version with creeping thyme and some kingianums or something.

That's great your growing a Sarc! I think its hard to go wrong with the Sarcs. I have mine in either pebbles or coarse bark and i water them twice weekly. They should start growing a flower spike from later winter/early spring. I added pics of my Sarc seedlings, one of which was in spike when i took the photo, and another pic of some larger Sarcs in flower. The left one is a hartmanii-based hybrid, and the second one is a Fitzhart x Hartmanii hybrid i think.

Edit: And i added a Sarc hartmanii specimin plant that was at the local show. Can't wait for mine to grow that big!

[cb977]

I'm sure whatever you use for the wall be be wonderful! I can't wait to see it

That show plant is a mind-boggler, huh!

[Lagoon]

Howdy Dooooooo!
Gorgeous stuff!! Welcome to the forum

Regards,

[tuvoc]

Hi and welocme to the OB. Great looking set up, although I'n not sure there is an orchid that's too much work.

Kim

[Stefan]

hi and welcome to the board. you have an amazing collection, and that green wall project sounds incredible. look forward to talking in the future

[Shirley]

Great to have you join the OB! Sounds like a huge project that you're taking on so please keep us posted and with I'm really impressed with your sarchochilus -- they look much larger than what we're accustomed to seeing here and also different names on your hybrids. I'm currently trying to grow one so your culture notes are helpful.

Shirley